A Selma police officer wounded in an ambush early Sunday is recovering at home, but Selma Mayor Darrio Melton said the shooting is the latest example of why police need better equipment, including more protective vests.

Officer Micah Hale is expected to make a full recovery, Melton said. Hale was driving through downtown Selma after leaving the scene of a homicide when he was fired on by multiple weapons, police have said. The State Bureau of Investigation is working the case.

Melton called Hale "one of the most humble officers" on the force. He said Hale was cheerful and in good spirits when he visited him at UAB Hospital on Sunday.

"You never hear any complaints from him," Melton said. "Even when I visited him yesterday in the hospital. He said, 'I signed up for hazardous duty and mayor I'm there with you. Whatever it takes to make sure we protect the citizens of Selma, that's what we're going to do.'"

Melton said Hale had been in law enforcement for about 10 years.

Melton and Selma Police Capt. Natasha Fowlkes spoke to reporters and a crowd that gathered for a press conference outside City Hall. They talked about the need to convince the City Council to support additional funding for public safety and about their reliance on citizens to help stop crime.

"On four different occasions over six weeks, we've had officers who have been shot at," Melton said.

Melton said Hale was not wearing a vest. He said the city has about 50 police officers and not enough vests to protect them all.

"By the grace of God again, he's still standing with us today," Melton said.

Fowlkes declined to say how many more vests are needed. She said the starting cost for a vest is about $700, but that does not include the cost of plates.

Fowlkes said the attack on Hale marked a sad day in Selma. There were also

bringing the total to 11 for the year, four more than in all of last year. Fowlkes said the police need help.

A crowd gathered outside Selma City Hall for a press conference about violence in the city and a call for more city funding for public safety. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

"We need your eyes and your ears to help us do our job effectively," Fowlkes said. "We rely on the citizens of Selma to relay information to us to help us put away these senseless individuals that don't have a care for life."

at two Selma police investigators called to the George Washington Carver Homes public housing community. The investigators escaped injury. A patrol car was struck.

Selma Police Chief Spencer Collier has called the attacks cowardly and has said his officers aren't getting the equipment they need.

Melton said Collier was not at today's press conference because he has been working for four days without sleep.

Melton was asked what he thinks is fueling the violence in the city and the attacks on police. He said enforcement efforts have stepped up since he became mayor 22 months ago.

"The arrest rates are up inside the city of Selma," Melton said. "But when you have officers who are continuing to be shot at and there's no response from city government saying we're going to give them the necessary equipment that they need to protect themselves and go out in full force, then, I think it sends a message to the criminals.

"What I will say, though. I have given the chief instructions to go full force. We're not going to go to a parent or or go to a spouse and tell them that their husband or wife is not coming back home. So they have got permission from the mayor of whatever it takes for you to get back home, I want my officers back at home."

Melton wants the City Council to pass a 1 cent sales tax to support public safety, including a $1 million increase for the police department. He said the city has been operating on roughly the same amount of money for about 10 years and that it's not adequate.

The mayor said he understood that a sales tax increase might not be popular but said the money would be well spent.

"Let's do this 1-cent public safety sales tax to make sure all of our officers are fully clothed," Melton said. "Let's make sure they have all the resources that they need. They need this to make sure they can protect us."

Melton said his goal is to have 70 officers so the city can be "saturated" with police. He said the city had 38 when he took office and increased that number to 57. But he said that has declined slightly since then. Starting pay is $32,000 a year, he said.

Besides vests, Melton and Fowlkes said the police department also needs vehicles and surveillance equipment.